Igniter for grenades and the like



Dec. 25, 1945- J w. EDMANDS IGNITER FOR GRENADES AND THE LIKE Filed March 13, 1943 lnvenTor'. Uohn Wiley Edmcmds byWWQW ATTys.

Patented Dec. 25, 1%45 IGNITER FORtGRE-NADES ANH THE LIKE John Wiley Edmands, Newton. Highlands, Mass,

assignor to Central Railway, Signal Company,. Newton, Mass, a corporation'oflMassachusetts Application March 13, miaseriai Nma'zaom 12 Claims;

This invention relates primarily to an igniter for frangible grenades containing a. highly inflammable liquid or other material such as are used in anti-tank warfare, or for the purpose of starting confiagrations, etc. The invention however may be employed for other purposes, such for example, as signaling devices of the fusee, type, flares, etc, which are adapted to be ignited and upon ignition to burn a predetermined interval.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a device of the character described comprising a cartridge closed at one end and having the principal portion thereof filled with a'vigorously burning composition with a tubular casing surrounding and spaced from the cartridge and extending well beyond the end thereof, and having manually operable means for igniting the burning composition, the construction being such that when the composition is ignited the flame and other products thereof will be discharged in a column through the open end of the casing.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel priming means for ignitingthe burning composition.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character'described with an enclosing waterproof sealing material for:preventing deterioration by absorption of moisture from the atmosphere or when submerged iniwater and which upon actuation of the primingeimaterial will be ruptured or disintegrated.

A further object of the invention'is to provide a construction in which the primer comprises a lanyard or pull wire operable when pulled to cause frictional engagement betweencomplementary members of a priming composition and thereby ignite the burning composition.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lanyardwith means operable when pulled to rupture the sealing material enclosing the end ofthe. casing, therebyproviding free exitforthe flame and/or products of combustion of the burning composition.

Another object of the invention is to provide the lanyard with a novel form of hand grip to facilitate pulling of the lanyard to ignite the priming composition.

The term lanyard is used herein as descriptive of any suitable mechanism connected to-the primer or having mounted thereon one of the complementary members of the priming material.

These and other objects and features of the invention will more fully appear from the following description and the accompanying drawing and will :be particularly pointed outiintheiclaims.

In the drawing:

Fig.1 is a view of a glass bottle or: other frangible container forming an incendiary bomb having the: igniter secured thereto;

Fig, 2 is an enlarged longitudinal 'sectionalview of the. igniter, a portion of the lanyard being broken away; and,

Fig. 3S is a horizontal sectional view online- 3-3 Fig. 2.

Incendiary bombs,- particularly those used in anti-tank chemical warfare, have. heretofore1comprised a bottle or other frangible container filled with gasoline orother highly flammable material and having boundthereon oilesoaked waste or rags which. are ignited andthe bomb then thrown against atank orxother solid object for the purpose of igniting the highly flammable liquid or other material which'is released upon the shattering of the container. When the bombisthus shattered itscontentswill spread over quite a wide area andis found to be very effective in puttingitanks out of action, or ifthe-bomb is thrown against an oil tank or against a structure which is composed offiammable material will start a vigorous conflag'rationp The use of incendiarybombsitotthis characterds'hazardousto the grenadien. One of the main objects of the presentinvention isitherefore to provide a time-burning igniter which will enable the grenadier safely tostartthe. igniting flame and throw the bomb with greater. accuracy. and which will insure issuance ofiflame fromt the igniter until the bottle or: other frangibleicontainer is ruptured by impact against the. object upon which it is projected.

In the preferred.construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing the igniter comprises a cartridge .having asolid base I, preferably cylindricaLin form, 'and having an extension 2 of reduceddiameter which-fits within a preferably spirally wound paper tube' 3 and serves as a closure for the bottom-thereof. The chamber of the tube 3 is mainlyfilled with -a burning composition 4 of any suitable highly combustible material, such for example as the composition-used inrailway signaling fusees which comprises strontium nitrate, potassium chlorate or potassium perchlorate and sulphur.

Any suitable primer may be employed. for igniting--the' burning composition, the term primer being used" herein as descriptive of complementary igniting and scratching members adapted to be ignited by friction upon relative movement therebetween and operableupondgnttion to ignite'the burning composition.

In the preferred construction illustrated the end portion of the tube 3 is provided with an inturned bead and the wall of the tube beyond the end of the burning composition '4 lined or filled with an igniting composition 6, such as a mixture of potassium chlorate and carbon (charcoal), complementary to another composition, such as red phosphorous mixed with lacquer, mounted upon a relatively movable member which may be defined as a scratching composition adapted when fri-ctionally engaging said igniting composition to cause combustion thereof.

The cartridge is enclosed in 2, preferably concentric tubular casing I which fits the larger portion of the head i of the cartridge and is secured thereto in any suitable manner as, for example, by a staple or staples 8. The casing 'I separated from the tube 3 by a' narrow preferably cylindrical space 9 and extends well beyond thev end of the tube forming a chamber 10 which acts as a chimneyto guide the flame from the burning composition.

An aperture H is provided in the wall of the tube "3' in proximity to the upper end of the burning composition 4- and is surrounded by the igniting composition 6 of the primer. The complementary priming composition I2. is mounted upon a preferably crimped end portion of a pull wire or lanyard [3 which extends through the aperture I l in the wall of the tube 3 and,thence through the chamber Ill and a suitable distance therebeyond and desirably has secured to it a hand grip l.

Suitable means are provided for guiding the end portion of the lanyard along the wall of the tube 3. to insure proper guidance of the composition l2 into frictional engagement with the priming composition are effectively protected against moisture, both for storage purposes, rain, and accidental immersion in water.

Inasmuch as it is desirable that the portion of the sealing mechanism which forms a closure for the end of the casing shall be wholly or mainly removed to permit the flame to issue freely from the end of the casing or chimney means are provided for rupturing the seal when the lanyard is pulled to ignite the primer. In the preferred construction illustrated a block desirably of wood and of angular, preferably triangular, construction is mounted upon the lanyard l3 within the chamber ll] of the casing and means are proigniting composition 6. A preferred construction which is illustrated herein comprises a cylindrical paper l5 which is adhesively secured to the tube 3 with an enlargement or groove l6 therein extending parallel to the axis of the tube and housing the portion of the lanyard which extends therethrough. v

It will therefore be obvious that when the lanyard is pulled thecomposition [2 will be drawn through the aperture H into frictional engagement with the priming composition 6' thereby igniting it which in turn will ignite the burnng composition.

The burning composition is of a character which when ignited will continue to burn without detonation for from thirty to forty-five seconds which is a sufficient time to enable the bomb to be thrown and to continue the projection of a flame until the container is shattered upon the object upon which it is projected.

Inasmuch as it is necessary to protect the igniting and burning composition against absorption of water from the atmosphere or immersion in water it is desirable that the igniter be sealed by waterproof material which will not only prevent absorption of moisture from the air but which upon total immersion in water will prevent leakage into the igniter for a period of at least thirty minutes.

In the present invention this is accomplished by enclosing the base and the casing ina waterproof paper seal which fits tightly upon the casing l and extends therebeyond beyond the end thereof in a conical section It the end portion 19 of which is twisted tightly upon and secured to the lanyard [3 at a distance beyond the open end of the casing. By reason of this construction the burning composition and the vided for so securing the same to the lanyard as to cause the block to rupture and tear away the conical portion l8 of the sealing material when the lanyard is pulled and prior to the frictional engagement of the striking composition 42 on the lanyard with the igniting composition 8 in the end portion of the tube 3.

In the preferred construction illustrated the lanyard l9 desirably is a wire and is provided within the casing ID with a kink 2i having applied to it a blob'22 of solder of sufficient size to prevent the lanyard from being pulled through the block'ZO.

A preferred form of hand grip It, which is illustrated herein, comprises 9. preferably wooden block having a conical recess or countersink 23 therein the apex of which communicates with a cylindrical bore 24 through which the end of the wire lanyard l3 extends, suitable means being provided for. securing the end of the lanyard to the block. In the preferred construction a blob 25 of solder is secured to the end of the'lanyard I3 within the apex of the recess 23 and a similar blob 26 of solder applied'to the lanyard in engagement with the under face of the hand grip l4 thereby firmly securing the hand grip upon the lanyard.

As illustrated in Fig. 1 the igniter is secured to portion l8 of the sealing material and drawing the striking material I2. through the aperture Ii into frictional engagement with the igniting material 6 of the cartridge thus igniting the combustible composition and causing the flame therefrom tobe projected axially from the chimney extension of the casing thereof; The grenadier will thereupon throw the bottle with sufficient force against the'tank or other object to shatter the bottle and cause the contents hereof to splash over a large area of the object against' combustible material against which the bomb is a be made in constructionand arrangement of parts within the spirit and scope of the following claims,

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. An igniting device of shorter length than and adapted to be attached to an incendiary bomb having a frangible container filled with a highly flammable material comprising a cartridge closed at one end and having the principal portion thereof filled with a vigorous'burning composition, a tubular casing surrounding and spaced from said cartridge and extending well beyond the open end thereof forming a chimney to guide the flame of the burning composition,.a primer in proximity tosaid burning composition havin a lanyard extending beyond the end of said casing, and operable when pulled to cause said primer to ignite the burning composition.

2. An igniting device of shorter length than and adapted to be attached to an incendiary bcmb having a frangible container filled with a highly flammable material comprising a cartridge closed at one end and having the principal portion thereof filled with a vigorous burning composition, a tubular casing surrounding and spaced from said cartridge and extending well beyond the open end thereof forminga chimney to guide the fiame of the burning composition, a primer in proximity to said burning composition having a lanyard extending beyond the end of said casing, and operable When pulled to cause said primer to ignite the. burning composition, and waterproof rupturable sealing material fixedly secured to and enclosing said casing and tightly embracing and secured to said lanyard beyond the end of said casing.

3. An igniting deviceof shorter length than and adapted to be attached to an incendiary bomb having a frangible container filled with a highly flammable material comprising a cartridge closed at one end and having the principal portion thereof filled with a vigorous burning composition, a tubular casing surrounding and spaced from said cartridge and extending well beyond 4,

the open end thereof forming a chimney to guide the flame of the burning composition, a primer in proximity to said burning composition having a lanyard extending beyond the end of said casing, and operable when pulled to cause said primer to ignite the burning composition, waterproof rupturable sealing material enclosing and fixedly secured to said casing and tightly embracing said lanyard beyond the end of said casing, and means mounted upon said lanyard within the extension of said casing operable when the lanyard is pulled effectively to tear the sealing material covering the end of the casing, thereby to permit free discharge of the flame from the burning material.

4. A device of the character described comprising a cartridge closed at one end and having the principal portion thereof filled with a vigorous burning composition, a tubular casing surrounding and spaced from said cartridge and extending well beyond the open end thereof, a primer in proximity to said burning composition having a lanyard extending beyond the end of said casing, and operable when pulled to cause said primer to ignite the burning composition, waterproof rupturable sealing materialencloslng and fixedly secured to said casing and tightly embracing said lanyard beyond the end of said casing, a block of rigid material mounted on sa d lanyard within the extension of the casing, said lanyard having means located between said block and said primer to engage said block when the lanyard is pulled and cause it to rupture the sealingmaterial covering the end of the casing.

5. An igniting device of shorter length than and adapted to be attached to an incendiary bomb having a frangible container filled witha highly flammable material comprising a cartridgeclosed at one end and having the principal portion thereof filled with avigorous burning composition, a tubular casing surrounding'and spaced from said cartridge and extending well beyond the open end thereof, a primer in proximity to said burning composition having a wire lanyard extending beyond the end of said casing provided at its free end with a large rigid hand grip for conveniently pulling said lanyard, and means for preventing detachment of said hand grip from said wire.

6. An igniting deviceof shorter length than and adapted to be attached to an incendiary bomb having a frangible container filled with a, highly flammable material comprising a cartridge closed at one end and having the principal portion thereof filled with a vigorous burning composition, a tubular casing surrounding and spaced from said cartridge and extending well beyond the open end thereof, a primer in proximity to said burning composition having a wire lanyard extending beyond the end of said casing, a cylindrical hand grip having a countersink mounted on the free end of said lanyard and blobs of solder respectively on the end portion of said lanyard within said countersink and engaging the opposite face of said hand grip for securing the hand grip to the lanyard.

7. A device of the character described comprising a cartridge having a closed end and havin the principal portion thereof filled with a vigorous burning composition and the free end provided with an igniting composition, a tubular casing surrounding and spaced from said cartridge, a lanyard extending through said igniting composition having mounted thereon intermediate of said cartridge and casing and remote from said igniting material a strikin material complementary to said igniting composition, and a rigid hand grip for pulling said lanyard to cause said striking material frictionally to engage and ignite said igniting composition and thereby to ignite said burning composition.

8. A device of the character described comprising a cartridge having a closed end and havin the principal portion thereof filled with a vigorous burning composition and having an aperture in the wall of the open end portion of said body in proximity to said burning composition, an ignitable composition within said open end portion surrounding said aperture, a tubular casing surrounding and spaced from said body, and a lanyard extending through the open ends of said casing and cartridge and through said igniting composition, said aperture and having mounted thereon, in the space between the body and casing and remote from the igniting composition, a scratching material complementary to said igniting composition operable by the pulling of said lanyard frictionally to engage and ignite said igniting composition and through it the burning composition.

9. A device of the character described comprising a cartridge having a closed end and having the principal portion thereof filled with a vigorous burning composition and having an aperture in the wall of the open end portion of said body said igniting composition operable by the pulling of said lanyard frictionally to engage and ignite said igniting composition and through it the burning composition, and rupturable waterproof paper fixedly secured to and enclosing said casing and tightly twisted about and secured to said lanyard.

10. A device of the character described com- 7 prising a cartridge having a closed end and having the principal portion thereof filled with a visorous burning composition and having an aper ture in the Wall of the open end portion of said body in proximity to said burning composition, an ignitable composition within said open end portion surrounding said aperture, a tubular casing surrounding and spaced from said body, and a lanyard extending through the open ends of said casing and cartridge and through said igniting composition and said aperture and havin mounted thereon, in the space between the body and casing and remote from said igniting composition, a scratching material complementary to said igniting composition operable by the pulling of said lanyard frictionally to engage and ignite said igniting composition and through it the burning composition, rupturable waterproof sealing means fixedly secured to and enclosing said casing and tightly twisted about said lanyard, and means mounted on said lanyard Within the extension of said casing adapted upon longitudinal movement of said lanyard to tear away the sealing means which closes the end of the casing.

11. A device of the character described comprising a tubular body having a closed end and having the principal portion thereof filled with a vigorous burning composition and having an aperture in the wall of the open end of said body in proximity to said burning material, an ignitable composition within the open end portion of said body in proximity to said aperture, a tubular casing surrounding'and spaced from said body and extending therebeyond, a lanyard extending through the ends of said casing and body and through said aperture and having mounted on it intermediate of said body and casing and remote from said igniting composition, a scratching material complementary to the igniting composition, guiding means normally retaining said lanyard in contact with said body, waterproof paper sealing means enclosing said casing and twisted tightly upon said lanyard, an angular block of rigid material Secured to said lanyard within the extension of said casing, and a rigid hand grip attached to the free end of the wire adapted to be grasped by the hand to facilitate pulling the wire lengthwise thereby to cause said block to rupture said sealing means and to cause the striking material frictionally to engage the igniting material.

12. An igniting device adapted to be attached to an incendiary bomb having a frangible container filled with a highly flammable material comprising a relatively small cartridge closed at one end containing a vigorous burning composition and an igniting composition in the open end thereof, a casing of shorter length than said container surrounding and spaced from said cartridge and extending beyond the open end thereof to form a chimney for the flame of the burning composition, and a lanyard extending through said igniting composition into the space between the cartridge and the casing and have ing mounted thereonintermediate of the cartridge and casing a striking material complementary to said igniting composition operable upon pulling the lanyard to ignite the igniting composition and thereby ignite the burning composition. 

